Bella smiled “Your mind is so full of ideas it’s a wonder it doesn’t burst.”
“It’s no fuller than yours. Everytime you see something different I can almost hear the cogs in your brain whirling, as you transfer what you’ve seen to a pot, piece of furniture or embroidery.”
“Just shows how well matched we are.”
Roman laughed and put his arm around her as they walked on enjoying the simple beauty of their surroundings.
Driving back to The Manor, where Misty was being looked after by Mrs. B, Bella told him that Lucinda was coming the following day to collect some stock for her shop.
“Is she staying overnight?”
“No, I did offer but she is driving on to Bristol after she’s been here to see someone who makes beautiful silver jewelry.”
“Her shop must be doing well for her to keep buying.”
“Yes, everything she took off me before Christmas has sold and she’s desperate for stock. I’ll be glad when the car boots start again as I’ve run out of things to recycle.”
“Good, that’s means you’ll be taking things easier.”
“I am taking it easier, I’ve taken today off.”
Roman shook his head “I’ve never known anyone who enjoys working like you do.”
After a late lunch in South Molton they drove on to Umberleigh and Roman asked “Are you staying at The Manor tonight, or I could stay at the cottage?”
It would be easier to stay at The Manor. Slowly over the last few weeks she had left clothes and necessities there so she didn’t have to go home to collect them if she suddenly decided to stay with him. Roman had done the same at the cottage and it had been decided once work started on The Manor and barn conversion he would stay at the cottage permanently. Mrs. B’s retirement cottage was being refurbished and she was, with some help from Bella, planning the finishing touches she would put to it.
“It’ll be easier to stay at The Manor. I expect the dogs have claimed their places in front of the fire and won’t want to move,” then she frowned, “but I would like to check on the cottage.”
Roman nodded as he drove carefully over the railway tracks at Eggesford station, “Ok, we’ll go bank the woodburner up before we go on to The Manor.”
Bypassing Winkleigh they drove on to Whiddon Down and turned right then left on towards home. As they turned off the A road at Moretonhampstead Bella smiled as she took in the open moor around them. “When I first moved here from Bristol this place felt so bleak, but now I know it was me who was bleak and I just love it.”
He took a hand off the wheel and held hers, not needing to say anything.
Dusk was falling as they pulled off the road and onto the lane leading to the cottage. When they turned the corner Bella cried out as she saw smoke trickling through the old roof of her workshop. Roman brought the car to a halt and before he could stop her she was racing into her studio, hauling out small pieces of furniture and the mosaic mirror. He joined her after dialling 999 and asking for the fire brigade and they moved her most precious pices well away from the smoke.
“Have you anything in the workshop?” he asked.
“No, thank god, it’s been so cold and damp, all my throws cushions etc are in the house. All that’s in the workshop is material, paint and stuff.” Then she screamed as with a loud whoosh the workshop burst into flame pushing trails of fire across the adjoining roof and onto the studio roof beams.
“Let’s get this stuff under cover in case it rains,” he said picking up the mosaic mirror and carrying it towards the house.
They’d got all the upcycled pieces into the cottage by the time the fire brigade arrived blue lights flashing and sirens blaring out across the darkening moor.
Neighbours arrived to see if they could help, including Joy and her husband “Did you have much in there?” Joy asked.
“No, luckily,” Bella said as she made numerous mugs of tea, “all my soft goods are in the cottage and the studio hadn’t caught fire when we arrived, so we got the few pieces of furniture out and into the cottage. At least there weren’t any of your paintings in there.”
“Oh, they would have been the least of your problems,” Joy waved a hand in the air.
They took large trays of tea and shortbread to the people outside, serving the firemen first. They’d managed to contain the fire but not before the old roofs had fallen in. As Bella surveyed the devastation Roman wrapped his arms around her and said “We can rebuild it, The old stone walls are solid and we were going to change the inside and the roofs anyway.”
“I know, it’s just,” she swallowed hard, “just the thought of it burning down. Why did it?”
“When it cools down the fire brigade will be able to tell for certain. At the moment it looks like it started by the woodburner.”
“Oh!”
“Mmm, not very imaginative our fire starter,” he mused, “they seem to have a one track mind.”
“Who could hate me so much?”
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
* * *
Roman stayed at the cottage that night, but even wrapped in his arms Bella couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned trying to work out why these things were happening to her and who could be doing it. She must have slept eventually, because Roman had to wake her in the morning.
“Wake up sleepy head,” he said as she opened sleepy eyes, to see him standing there, in his boxers, a mug of tea in each hand. Pulling herself up she took a mug off him “What time is it?”
“Nine o’clock, I wanted to leave you to sleep but isn’t Lucinda coming this morning?”
She took a long drink of tea before answering “Yes, she said she’d be here about ten. Oh my god, everything is just piled up in the living room. I haven’t even checked for smoke damage,” she gulped down her tea and jumped out of bed.
“Calm down, while the kettle was boiling I moved things about so they can be seen easily and there’s no smell of smoke on anything. I felt you tossing and turning so when you did drop off I thought it best to leave you for a couple of hours.”
Going to him she gave him a quick peck on the lips and said “Thank you” but then as she bent down to retrieve a sock, the world spun off its axis and she felt herself sliding away. Seconds later she found herself cradled in Roman’s arms as he carried her back to the bed.
“What happened?” she asked as the room stopped spinning.
“You were alright one minute then the next you’d fainted.”
Shaking her head she said “I don’t faint ever,” then as her stomach heaved she mumbled “gonna be sick,” and tried to get out of bed, the room spinning again.
Roman rushed into the bathroom, grabbed a towel and held it up to her mouth wincing as she retched up yellow bile, again and again until her body hurt. As the sickness left her she leaned back against the pillows and groaned “What is the matter with me?”
“I don’t know,” Roman said, “perhaps it was the smoke and all the upset, I’ll get you a glass of water to rinse your mouth and the washing up bowl in case you’re sick again.”
“But Lucinda’s coming, I’ve got to get dressed.”
“No way, I’ll deal with Lucinda, but let’s get you tidied up, so she can at least pop in to say hello.”
By ten o’clock she was feeling better, so he let her get dressed and sit in her chair, while he made her a piece of toast and another cup of tea. She ate the toast but couldn’t stand the smell of the tea, as she had a coppery taste in her mouth, and the tea made her feel sick again.
Roman insisted they make an appointment with their doctor and managed to get an emergency one for that afternoon at three o’clock. When Lucinda turned up, at half past ten, he was outside talking to the fire investigator, who’d come to the conclusion that someone had opened the door
of the woodburner and piled cloth and paper against it. To make it look like a case of negligence or accident, a shelf had been pulled over and a trail of flammable items had been placed between the wood burner and fallen shelf.
“So, it’s definitely arson?” Roman asked.
“Yes, by persons or person unknown. The insurance company will investigate, of course,” the man said pointedly.
Roman sighed,”I shouldn’t think it was insured.”
“Ah, well, that puts a different spin on it, definitely a case of arson, then.”
“Yes, just as well I suppose as I wouldn’t want my fiance to go through all the upset of an insurance investigation.”
“No, they can be quite intrusive.”
As Lucinda got out of her van he left the investigator to it and went across to greet her. They shook hands and she asked “What’s happened? What a dreadful shame.”
“Bella’s workshop and studio went up in flames last night. As you can see, only the walls were left standing.”
Lucinda gasped “What about all the stock?” then she shook her head, “oh god, that’s makes me sound awful. I should be asking if anyone was hurt not worrying about stock.”
He smiled “It’s understandable, you’ve driven a long way, but thankfully no one’s hurt and we got all the stuff out of the studio before the fire spread. It’s all in the cottage, not even smoke damaged. Bella’s a bit off colour, you know she’d just had a bad bout of pneumonia, so she’s in the cottage keeping warm.”
“It’s much colder here than in London. That wind almost cuts one in two,” Lucinda shivered in her fine wool coat and impractical town shoes.
“Come on into the cottage, all your stuffs in there and I’m sure you’d like a hot drink,” he led the way round the back, as they couldn’t get in the front door which had things piled in front of it.”
As he led the way through the lean to, Lucinda looked around “What a quaint place, lovely holiday cottage.”
In the living room Bella was trying to sort out the throws and cushions so they could be seen easily, and turned to greet Lucinda with a smile. “Hi, sorry this is all so haphazard, but we’re lucky I’ve got anything to show you at all.”
Lucinda kissed her on both cheeks “Not at all, it must have been awful for you. Well done for saving all this,” and she waved a hand over the piles of soft goods.
“Actually it was only the furniture and painted things in the studio. As it’s been so damp and cold I’d kept the throws and things in the house. Thank god, as we’d never have got them out without some smoke damage.”
Lucinda picked up a cushion and smelled it “It smells lovely as all your things have done, and it’s lovely and warm in here.”
“Would you like a hot drink?” Bella asked as Lucinda took her coat off.
“Yes please, a latte would be great,” she said as she started to examine the throws and cushions.
Bella looked at Roman and bit her lip but he shook his head and said “I’ll do it, coffees all round,” as he disappeared into the kitchen.
She watched him go wondering how he was going to rustle up a latte out of thin air, then shrugged and turning back to Lucinda got down to business.
By the time he came back with a tray of tall mugs and a plate of biscuits Bella was listing items in a receipt book along with their individual prices. The smell of hot coffee hit her nostrils and she inhaled, savouring the aroma. `That’s strange,` she thought, `I don’t usually like coffee.`
A niggling suspicion settled on her mind but she shrugged it away.
Roman handed Lucinda a mug asking if she wanted sugar, then took one to Bella. “Try it,” he said “you might find you like it.”
She took a sip, then added sugar and took another sip. “That’s lovely Roman, thank you.”
When Lucinda declared that she’d take all the things Bella had made, Roman moved the pieces away from the front door and started to carry them out to the large transit van Lucinda had arrived in. Everything safely inside and tied down she handed Bella a cheque and said “Please keep on making, my customers love your stuff and so do I. A lot of things have found their way into my apartment.”
When she drove away intent on reaching Bristol by early afternoon Bella let out a long pent up breath “Phew, what a morning.”
Turning back into the living room she picked up the tray “Incidentally, where did you get the coffee?”
Roman laughed “There was an old jar in the kitchen.”
“But lattes?”
“I boiled the milk in a pan and whisked it before pouring it over half a cup of hot coffee. Didn’t turn out too bad.”
“No it was nice which is strange as I’ve hated coffee ever since... Oh it doesn’t matter.”
He took hold of her and said “It does matter. Ever since?”
She sighed “I’d made mum a coffee and she said it was like dishwater. She put half a jar of instant into a mug, added lukewarm water and made me drink it. Said I should learn how things taste when they’re made properly.”
“How old were you?”
“Oh, I don’t know” she shrugged, “nine or ten maybe.”
He wrapped his arms around her and said “I think we ought to find out more about the treatment your mother is receiving, perhaps then we’ll understand why she was like she was.”
“That’s not necessary.” Bella stiffened.
“Love, the memories keep hurting you, but perhaps if you knew why she was like that it wouldn’t hurt anymore.”
“When I was young I thought she hated me because it was my fault Daddy had gone away.”
“Oh sweetheart,” he hugged her tight, “what parents do is never the child’s fault, it’s theirs.”
Cuddled in his strong arms, her softness against the hardness of his chest, she realised that she’d tried to protect herself from pain by not confronting things. She hadn’t tried to find out, as an adult, why her mother was like she was and hadn’t stood up to Gervaise when he’d trashed her or her art. Now with this strong caring man by her side she felt ready to face her childhood demons, which had made her weak, until she’d had no option but to sink or swim. Even without Roman’s help she realised that from the minute she’d said “Bugger you Gervaise Loveday, I’ll show you,” she’d been swimming fine by herself.
“I know that now. Since I left Gervaise I’ve had a lot of time to realise that I’m more self sufficient than I thought I was.”
“You my darling, are the most strong minded self sufficient, pain in the neck, woman, I’ve ever known. You’ve fought me every inch of the way whenever I’ve tried to take care of you.”
“I’m sorry, it sounds awful when you put it like that. It’s just...”
“I know, you had to prove that no matter what happened you could survive on your own.”
“No more, I’ve discovered I like you to look after me. You make me feel complete.”
He kissed her, slowly deepening the kiss until she sank against him.”
* * *
Roman drove them to the doctors surgery that afternoon. It was two minutes to three as they walked into reception, the receptionist greeting Roman with a shy smile.
“Hello Marcia, my fiance Bella Carrington has an appointment with Dr. Wilson.”
The smile faded as Marcia turned her gaze on Bella, tapping her computer she said “Ah yes, you registered with us last November. Take a seat Doctor won’t be long.”
Hiding a grin at the change in Marcia’s attitude, Bella led the way to two empty chairs. Turning to him she whispered “Another of your conquests?”
He shrugged “We went out for a while, years ago, she’s married with three kids now. Her husband is a chippie on the estate.”
Bella shook her head, he honestly didn’t realise how women droo
led over him. Was it one of his old girlfriends who was waging a vendetta against her?”
“Bella Carrington,” the doctor called her name from the entrance to his office.
She stood up and looked at Roman “Are you going to come in with me?”
He frowned “I wasn’t, but do you want me to?”
She took a deep breath, “I think it’s probably a good idea.”
He followed her through to the doctor’s office, not sure why she wanted him there. Dr. Wilson sat down at his desk waved at the chair next to it and asked “Now, Ms. Carrington, how can I help you this afternoon?”
“I’ve had bouts of sickness and this morning I fainted. I have never fainted before and Roman insisted I come to see you.”
“Any other symptoms?”
She bit her lip “I’ve got a coppery taste in my mouth and I can’t stand the smell of tea.”
He smiled “So what do you think is wrong?”
“I wondered if I might be pregnant?”
“Have you taken a test?”
“No, I’ve been thinking of getting one, but, after I fainted Roman insisted I see you.”
While this conversation was going on Roman was becoming more and more perplexed and couldn’t stop himself from saying “But you’re on the pill, how can you be pregnant?”
She shrugged “I don’t know, perhaps when I was ill I forgot to take one, but I just don’t know.”
“But when you were il we didn’t...” he suddenly remembered the doctor was there and didn’t say anymore.
Dr Wilson looked from one to the other “Would being pregnant be a problem?”
There was a pause during which Bella steeled herself to hear Roman’s answer. Standing up he went to her and grasped her hands “Not as far as I’m concerned, in fact it’d be bloody fantastic.”
Letting out her breath, she smiled and said “And that’s exactly how I feel.”
“Well then, hop up on the couch and I’ll examine you. It may be too early to tell but we’ll see. Do you want Mr. Cowle to stay?”
The Wishing Well Page 20
